A location may contain several devices that are capable of accessing an external network, such as a personal computer, laptop, netbook, tablets, smart phones, and Internet Protocol televisions (IPTV), for example. Each device associated with the location may access the external network via a gateway (such as a router). Thus, all requests to the external network, and data provided from the external network may go through the gateway. The devices may be referred to as being “behind” the gateway.
An Internet user employs an application on one of the devices, such as a web browser, to access various web sites. The web browser communicates a universal resource locater (URL) request to a server, the server retrieves content from a content provider based on the requested URL, and delivers the content to the web browser. The content may be sourced from a single source, or be an amalgamation of data from multiple sources.
In certain situations, the content may include shared content. The shared content may be provided from the content provider. Alternatively, a third-party provider, such as an online shared content network may provide shared content to be included with content displayed on a web browser, or any media consuming device.
In order to maximize the effectiveness of the shared content, various techniques may be employed. One example is to attempt to ascertain Internet users with the highest likelihood of clicking-through the shared content. If non-germane shared content is provided to the Internet user, the Internet user may not click-through the shared content. Other metrics may be employed to determine if shared content is germane to the user.
Various techniques may be employed to ensure that the shared content served to the Internet user is germane. For example, if the Internet user is viewing content related to sports, a shared content provider may serve shared content related to the purchase of sporting goods.
Alternatively, data associated with the Internet user's web browser may be utilized as well. Web browsers include a cookie. A cookie is a file that records previously visited web sites by the web browser. Thus, the cookie may be viewed as a key to viewing the Internet user's activity associated with a server. Each web site may have a cookie associated with the web site.
Online social networks may store information about the Internet user, and use this information to serve shared content to the Internet user. For example, the Internet user may indicate certain attributes about themselves or preferences, such as interests, sex, beliefs, or other information that aids in the shared content being selected to be served to the Internet user.
Various other techniques also may be employed that are closely related to analyzing the Internet user's behavior. For example, an online shared content network may employ search terms or keywords entered by the Internet user to select shared content to be served to the Internet user. Additionally, a social network may contain information about how the various users of the social network communicate and interact with each other.
A third-party may be interested in measuring the effectiveness of the shared content. By measuring the effectiveness of the shared content, an online shared content network may serve the Internet user shared content that will be clicked-through.
In measuring the effectiveness of the shared content, several metrics may be employed. For example, a server measuring the effectiveness of the shared content may monitor a unique number of Internet users who access the server. Alternatively, the server may record the frequency of views for a specific shared content item. Or the server may determine the effectiveness of the shared content by the number of Internet users who click-through the shared content.
Due to the fragmented nature of information, various aspects about the Internet user may be distinctly located at various sources, such as various social networks or other web sites. Thus, serving shared content, while measuring the shared content's effectiveness may be difficult.
The Internet users associated with the location may desire to not have their personal identification information (PII) transmitted to the external network. Thus, the ability to serve effective shared content without the knowledge of PII associated with the Internet user becomes difficult.